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EXO Packs? Are they really that good? The Best of the Best Pack Test
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ส.ค. 2024
- After countless hours testing different packs over the past few years, HuntLeague put together this review series testing 6 premium packs in 19 categories such as price, durability, load carrying capacity, comfort, organization, versatility, etc.
This video compares the EXO pack with Kifaru, Akek, Mystery Ranch, Kuiu, and Initial Ascent. Packs fit each person a little different and the truth is every one of these packs is a top performer in at least one category. With many companies now selling direct to consumer it is more difficult to know which pack will be the best fit for you.
When we average the rankings in each category (without weighting one category over another), the EXO Mtn Gear pack came out at the top. Are there packs that carry heavy loads better? Yes, the Initial Ascent and Kifaru both came out ahead of EXO in this test. EXO just released their new K4 pack lineup which is not a part of this test. With the K3 already coming out on top, I can only imagine the K4 distancing itself from the competition (although I am not a fan of the new straight zippers on the 3600 & 7200).
If you have personal experience with the EXO K3 or K4 pack, feel free to leave a comment below.
One lucky hunter will win a new EXO setup in the On Point Experience league inside the HuntLeague app. HuntLeague allows you to capture and share the story of your hunt like never before. The app features offline maps and records the details of your hunt with time stamps, photos, video, audio, notes and more for dozens of species. Rank up with every activity you log. Keep track of the daily work you are putting into your season with the INVEST, TRAIN, SHOOT Daily Challenges.
Join leagues such as the Outdoorsman of the Year, The Western Hunter, The Apex Predator, The HuntLeague Triple Crown and more for your shot at league titles and incredible prize packages from companies like EXO, Vortex Optics, Bergara, AKEK, Seekins Precision, HUXWRX, Skre, Burris Optics, Stag Arms, Arken Optics, Velvet Antler Technologies, EAA and many more.
Download the HuntLeague app: onelink.to/6ftnv6
![The Best Hunting Boot (Isn't What You Think It Is) - The Experience Project [EXP001]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GJeQwZ-oxUQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Just got the K4 delivered couple days ago. Did 9 miles with it today and was amazing. Didn’t run ton of weight. About 30 lbs but lumbar support was great. No issues with the Nalgene holder. Simple for me to get out and put back in 1 handed with pack on without stopping. Love the access , large Stretch front pocket , etc. all the little things have been considered
I just returned from Oregon where the winner of the On Point Experience league had his new K4 system and he packed out a bear with it. He was already an EXO owner having either the K2 or K3 before and he went on and on about the improvements found in the K4. He said it is noticeable narrower on his back which he thought may impact the load stability but after doing a few weighted pack climbs and hauling out his first animal he is sold on the new carbon fiber stay frame design.
Nice review, I just sold my K3 and upgraded to the K4. You gave a pretty good demo. One thing about the lumbar pad is that there is kit with stiffer foam that is nice. You can also just add shims inside, this can be done in about a minute. I ended up using 2 of the Exo shims with a piece of heavy cardboard sandwiched between, I need a pad that keeps it from sliding. Also the hip belt is adjustable by about 4 inches for comfort. Loved my K3 but a good friend wanted it so now I'm learning the K4.
How are you liking the K4 system so far? Without testing it I love the carbon stays and versatility to adjust the pack system. How does the angle of the water bottle holder work for you? That is always tough to reach and typically requires help from a buddy or taking the pack on and off just to put the bottle back away.
@@huntleague sorry for the delay, just saw this. Other than the hipbelt the pack really doesn't feel any different than the K3 (which is a good thing), I bought it for the hipbelt upgrade. The angle of the Nalgene holder is about perfect and it is far enough back that I can reach it easily. It is a very tight fit with a Nalgene bottle, it is still hard to get in and out but breaking in a little. I have a stainless water bottle that slides in and out easily. The K4 is an incremental upgrade, not a game changer, but a nice one. The only thing I liked better about the K3 is the side pockets, the old ones are open at the top and the new ones are zippered end to end. I liked keeping a closed cell foam pad in the top of one side pocket so I could grab it and set the pack on it in wet weather. The new load shelf open/close method is a little easier. I can't wait to haul a deer or two and hopefully an elk with it this fall! Overall I like it and wouldn't want to switch back.
@@stevecoad1 They already made one of the best packs out there so it would be tough in my mind to really do anything other than incremental improvement. I have heard from a few folks that the water bottle holder placement is way better but it is still not easy getting them in and out.
Water always seems to be tough for me. Hiking hard miles sometimes you don't drink as much as you should out of a bladder as you have to suck while you are out of breath. Water bottles are easier but not if you have to take your pack off. Often times I find myself getting dehydrated even though I am carrying water on my back!
@@huntleague My experience with the K4 pack and the water bottle holder is that, the angle/location of it is not ideal.
IF you use the hip belt pouches and have a loaded pack, the water bottle holder is now restricted to a very small range of motion and I fear it "pulls" the MOLLE paneling away from the hip belt due to this. Especially if you sit the pack down, the bottle holder reach JUUUST below the bottom of the frame, which results in the water bottle holder being pushed up if there is a bottle loaded since its the lowest point on the pack. I have no idea if this long term will be an issue, but simply observing the probable points of wear and tear, I feel much more comfortable loading a water bottle in the open-top side pockets that are located in the exact same region where the bottle holder would be loaded.
You will notice in almost all of the official promo materials for the K4, they either have the Nalgene holder equipped OR the hip belt pouchs, rarely both. And even when the naglene holder is equipped, observe how far down the holder extends.
TL;DR the nalgene holder is a nice concept, but I strongly feel it is a solution in search of a problem due to the bottle holder dimensions and its location. Those two MOLLE panels are put to much better use installing some other small bespoke MOLLE pouch for other forms of gear is what my take away has been.
@@toughgamma that is great feedback. I think the water bottle holder has to be the lowest point though if it were to be useable. The higher up on the pack it is the more flexibility you would have to have to be able to reach up to grab it or put it away. I prefer drinking out of a bottle but it seems using a bladder is still the most accessible way to get to water quickly while carrying a pack.
You can get locking buckles for the K4, so you can replace all of them if you want to . Going to get the 5000 , just building up my nerve to take the leap.
I am looking to move on from eberlestock team Elk pack and the k4 or the climax 5400 will be my next pack. How would you rate between those two specifically. Will be used as a go bag in between seasons. Also will be using them to carry a rifle and tripod during shooting comps. Im having a hard time deciding between the two!!
Well you have narrowed it down to two amazing options. I have been super happy with the Climax 5400 and ran that during archery season and second rifle here in CO. I am 6'3" and could use just a little more height on the frame than what the 5400 offers so if I am picking the one pack I plan to hunt with over the next several seasons and was buying a pack today I would lean towards the K4. Honestly if I was 6' I would save the extra money though and enjoy the mess out of that Climax. It is a killer pack, super versatile, and the rifle carrier is the best of any I have tested.
The EXO is made in America and I think slightly better built. Is it worth the extra money? That's up to you but I feel confident that you would be happy with either (unless you are really tall).
Have you ever ran a kifaru pack and if so what would you say are the pros and cons exo vs kifaru. Thinking 44mag vs K4 5000
Those are both great packs! The Kifaru wins in the load hauling capacity. The K4 is no slouch in that department though and wins in just about every other area for me. The guys that love the more tactical setup will lean towards the Kifaru. Hunters that appreciate a streamlined yet functional design will lean towards the K4.
The Kifaru is stiffer and fits more secure to your back, like a brick. The K4 frame is rigid but more narrow. That narrow base causes the pack, especially when extended away from your body, to sway a bit more. Some may prefer the way the K4 moves with your body while others would prefer the more rigid and wide feel of the Kifaru.
Packs fit people differently so the answer is not always universal. For me, I would lean towards the EXO in 75% of my hunts over the Kifaru. If I had to pack an entire mule deer or half an elk off the mountain in one trip it would be the Kifaru. Kifaru wins for me too when I know I am going to be in nasty deadfall.
Both are durable packs and should last you at least a decade. The Kifaru feels a little more heavy duty with the build material. I personally don't love the endless MOLLE webbing on the 44mag but I do like the position of the carry handles for picking the pack up and putting it in the truck or positioning inside the rain fly of a tent. It is also good if you plan to use your pack for a lot of training and workouts where you are grabbing the pack with your hands or taking the pack on and off multiple times between sets.
The EXO just checks all the practical boxes for me. It is lightweight. Carries loads well. I personally love the organization, zipper placement, buckles and general ergonomics of the EXO pack more. It just feels simpler for some reason and it does everything I need it to do really well. Most of my training this summer has been with the Stone Glacier pack which has really impressed me. That takes streamlined and simple maybe one step too far though. They all carry weight really well but the EXO just fits in the middle as a really great blend.
Great feedback I appreciate it so much. I like the practicality/simplicity of the EXO as well just haven’t gotten to put one on to see how it feels. I put on a 44mag with the Duplex lite frame and it felt amazing but the biggest downfall on that set up in my personal opinion is that setting up the meat shelf seems like it would take a bit more time than the more simplistic exo k4 system. Anyhow, I appreciate it and hopefully I can get my hands on an exo before I pull the trigger on one or the other
I can’t find any TH-cam videos where Elberstock is compared with any other packs. Could you tell me why that is? I’ve found it reviewed by itself but not with any other packs. Just wondering. Thanks
I have elk hunted the past two years with a guy from Vortex that loves his Eberlestock pack. Their Recon Bino Harness is one of if not the best one on the market.
Eberlestock has been around for decades and I think they made a real name for themselves in the 90's and early 2000's with super stout internal and external frame packs. Over the past few years they have innovated as modular hunting packs were introduced and their Vapor series of packs are going to compete against other top packs.
The Eberlestock suspension and frame still feels like it is from a past era though. I guarantee I would like the Eberlestock EMOD frame more than my 10+ year old external frame Kelty or ALPS pack frame. I am sure there are hunters that still prefer the feel of that rigid frame too. Does Eberlestock make a good pack? Yes. They are super durable and built tough and will last you many years. They have moved away from the "Just One Pack" that does it all and stepped into the modular pack world but the frame and suspension are still the foundation of any pack. In my opinion EXO, Kifaru, Stone Glacier, Initial Ascent are out pacing and bringing more innovation to hunting packs and it starts with the foundation not what you attach to it.
@@huntleague Thanks, I think where people are missing the concept is versatility. This system is not dedicated to one type of hunt but to many this born the emod system. I live on the East coast so where those in the west are spring bear hunting we are turkey hunting. I can use this system for carrying ground blinds, chairs, decoys as well as ladder sticks and loc on stand which are rarely used out west. Basically I couldn’t see in putting 700.00 to 1000.00 dollars in a pack that would sit in my basement until I was able to draw a tag and be able to afford to go west. I figure this pa k frame and system will allow me to trailer my eastern adventures and equip me with my western shed hunts and any other adventures I might would embark on. It would be hard to beat this system and that is Elberlestocks golden key selling points in my humble opinion. From river rafting camping and hunting to back. Country sheds, just switch the pack! Thanks for the reply.
@@michaelkilpatrick3141 The owner of Bear Hunting Magazine loves his for that same reason. He lives in Arkansas and can strap a 55 gallon barrel to it for hiking in bear bait. There is not doubt the Eberlestock is a versatile pack and you can get the pack and frame for under $500 if you time up one of their sales.
@@huntleague I love your channel and loved the reviews. I do believe these others are great packs for sure. If I could get one of them it would probably be the Exo but I would have to seriously look at the Akek based on your video and price. It seemed to fall right in middle consistently. I’m like you and really think it is just a matter of preference. They all have great qualities built into them. So thanks again for not attacking me! lol For someone without your experience with all you tried I do value your opinion!! The only experience I have is with Mystery Ranch POpup 38! You guys have way more experience than me! lol I just was drawn to the modularity of Elberstock when I decided. Thanks again and again great channel!! God bless
Ascent or k4. ?
That's tough! Both are great but if I had to choose one do it all pack, I would lean towards the EXO K4 5K with the horse shoe zips. If you told me you were going to be packing a moose out of the Alaskan Tundra or an elk out from 5+ miles I may change my answer. You really can't beat the load capacity of the Initial Ascent. The IA bag goes with me often in the truck even if it is not the bag I use to pack camp in with. It just handles weight like a champ and offers so much stability. Heavy loads, areas with lots of deadfall, hot weather, and steep side hills the IA pack wins. However 90% of the time I am carrying a reasonable load, on moderate to difficult terrain and the K4 system would probably be my go to between those two packs.
The winner of the On Point Experience just received his new K4 pack from EXO and I will get to see it for the first time next month. I won't really be able to test it like I did the other packs but I will get a good feel for it and have more to say.
Let me know your thoughts if you end up pulling the trigger on one of these packs!
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